title: Honeycombing on CT; its definition, pathologic correlation, and future direction of its diagnosis.
abstract: Honeycombing on CT is the clue for the diagnosis of usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) and its hallmark. According to the ATS-ERS-JRS-ALAT 2010 guideline, the patients with honeycombing on CT can be diagnosed as UIP without surgical biopsy. On CT scans, it is defined as clustered cystic airspaces, typically of comparable diameters of the order of 3-10mm, which are usually subpleural and have well-defined walls. Pathologically, honeycombing consists of both collapsing of multiple fibrotic alveoli and dilation of alveolar duct and lumen Although the definition of honeycombing seems to be strict, recognition of honeycombing on CT is various among each observer Because typical honeycombing is frequently observed in the patients with UIP, we should judge clustered cysts as honeycombing when a diagnosis of UIP is suspected.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Kinki Central Hospital of Mutual Aid Association of Public School Teachers, 3-1 Kurumazuka, Itami, Hyogo, 664-8533, Japan. Electronic address: johkoht@aol.com.
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Johkoh
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Saitama International Medical Center, Saitama Medical University, Hidaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Fumikazu
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sakai
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Tenri Hospital, Tenri, Japan.
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Noma
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, National Hospital Organization Kinki-Chuo Chest Medical Center, Sakai, Japan.
authors.forename: Masanori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akira
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Center for Diagnostic Imaging, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan.
authors.forename: Kiminori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujimoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Takeyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Watadani
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Japan.
authors.forename: Yukihiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sugiyama
mesh_terms: D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D054990:Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000145:classification* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D009626:Terminology as Topic; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends*
keywords: CT; Honeycombing; Pathologic correlation; Usual interstitial pneumonia